The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-14

THROWING THE BOOMERANG.
the native spear and the ones carried by the
bows ia the war is this: the native spear goes
through the emu and thus kills him. while the
spear Tor lance Of the war went clear through
Virginia and hurt no one.
The emu is n native bird that stands about
FIVE feet high, and is very much like the
ostrich in shape aud size, but the plumage is
very different, consisting Of feathers from four
TO lS inches long, and only one-iourth 10 one
inch wide,
AND FINE LIKE SILK.
The emu has long legs and neck, and can run
like "A horse Its skin when we'll preserved
with the feathers ON makes very beautiful mats
or rugs which bring good price at the fur
stores but the bird itself is anything but hand
sUme 90 look at.
Another proof that Australia Is the land Of
cOntrares is that the swans are all black in
stead Of white; otherwise they are about the
same as other swans The native dog does not
bark-how i wish all dogs were natives-Rnd
very much resembles our red fox, only that lac
| is larger aud his head resembles the wolf The
magpie ID a bird-and rascal as we'll. III you
ever had "A tame crow you can form some idea
OF Rn Australian domesticated magpie. he
will pull mp
ALL YOUR PLANTS AND FLOWERS,
carry of your thimble aud spoons and buttons
/ plnst ntcaicAs ltic Ah3 p0btllH. LAcTAbouA
| thinks lac must have one, we have one, and
MY wife takes pity on him about once a week
aud lets him out OF his cage into the yard q
have a run about aud hunt worms and insects
aud every time she does 80 he pulls up hel
plants, aud then back he must go 60 stay unit
he eau arouse her pity again; and the plants
well, they are like working man, half th,
time in the bed aud the other half out. ThI
mag" may be taught 10 whistle any tune, anC
you should hear ours whistle Carry me bach
10 old Virginia" and then say Sweet, prett,
boy" Ii IN about the size OF q crow aud th
color Of pigeon, only il has some black.
But Of ali the Australian birds
THE LAUGHING JAcKAss"
takes the cake, or ! should have said takes th
snake for ne is a snake ller, aud for this rea
son the law protects him. lie will take a snak
/ away up iutO the air, nearly out of sight, an
then drop it and thus kali il. The bird is abOu
, the size Of large crow, short and thick an
somewhat resembles a kingdsher, but is nesr
. black and its beak is nearly as wide as IL
long. aud is very much ia shape like youn
robins. Before it leaves its nest il is the uglies
: looking bird ] ever saw. IL you were 10 hea
. four or hve laughing al once you would thin
! there was party Of ladies and gentlemen {
the w0ods-or Che bush" Ms they call il her,
You never hear anyone here says fields Q
woods; IL is always "a paddock" or Lh
bush" and the mines are the diggins;" an
II you 90 outside OF the city, no matter wher
you 20 up country" and when you get u
r country" you will BEE farmers who have live
: in the same house for 20 or 30 years. aud haI
\ neither tree, shrub nor bush, plant, aower--n
NOT EVEN GREEN GRASS
about the place. You would not suppose the
q had lived there more than year or two. Thel
y is small heuse Of frame tive 10 four room
J. very seldom more than one story high, galvai
q lied iron tank 20 catch rain water. aud ver
!, small shed 10 back the cart uhder, general
made up Of old bark, slabs rails, etc, aud ofte
rOOled over with old tin from kerosen